Why Do People Have Wisdom Teeth?

Teeth are an essential part of the digestion process, but four molars are more trouble than they’re worth. We’re talking about wisdom teeth. They’re the bane of many people’s existence, causing swelling, bad breath, and jaw pain when impacted. In fact, Cleveland Clinic reports that 90 percent of people have at least one impacted wisdom tooth. Patients often turn to surgery to remove the molars, so what’s the point of having them in the first place?

It all comes down to the diet of early humans. According to Verywell Health, they ate raw nuts, leaves, meat, roots, and berries. These are tough foods that require a good set of chompers and a large jaw. Therefore, three sets of molars—including wisdom teeth, also known as “third molars”—became essential for survival. Back then, they grew in without problems because of our ancestors’ bigger mandibles.

Early human skulls and teeth rows changed when their brains started rapidly growing. The back of the cranium became larger, while the rows of teeth became shorter. As a result, the jaw was eventually too small to fit third molars comfortably. Since teeth and brain development genes work separately, evolution hasn’t caught up with the changes in our skulls, according to Live Science.

Humans also figured out ways to make meals easier to eat by cooking and chopping foods, rendering wisdom teeth even more useless. Many experts now consider the molars vestigial, meaning they’re a genetic characteristic that no longer has a purpose. 

Evolution may eventually eliminate wisdom teeth, though there’s no telling when. In 2018, clinical assistant professor Dr. William McCormick told Mental Floss that it might take centuries until people no longer have to worry about growing them.

Speaking of teeth, you may be brushing them the wrong way. Here are some tips to make sure you’re cleaning them properly.

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